


Major Rostu

by sourgummyworms



Series: Things Are Really Kriffed Up [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Shatterpoint - Matthew Stover, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Boba Fett (mentioned) - Freeform, Gen, Planet Haruun Kal (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27048079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sourgummyworms/pseuds/sourgummyworms
Summary: After leaving his home planet for the first time after Jedi Master Mace Windu ends the war there, Nick sees what it's like in the rest of the galaxy stuck in the middle of another war- the Clone Wars. The clone soldiers are more than what he expected.Based on the Shatterpoint novel (spoilers for that book!)
Relationships: CC-6454 | Ponds & Mace Windu, Mace Windu & Nick Rostu
Series: Things Are Really Kriffed Up [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909039
Kudos: 11





	Major Rostu

The Jedi Temple was nothing like Nick had expected.

From Master Windu’s cold demeanor (though Nick knew he was hiding a big heart behind his whole ‘detached’ act) and the way Depa had often spoken negatively of the Order on Haruun Kal, he’d imagined it to be a serious work environment, with boring grey duracrete walls like every crappy government building in Pelek Baw… before they’d been blown to bits. Instead, the place was bright and warm and full of Jedi. Hundreds simply walked halls peacefully like there wasn’t a war going on. Somehow larger than the one he’d been fighting in his home all his life and more expansive than the one continent that made up his entire world. Until now.

Nick’s journey over had been spent glued to the transparisteel window of the ship that came to pick them up. After speaking with some other Jedi and officers over hologram and a nearly hour-long shower (Nick had timed it) Mace- Master Windu- had joined him.

“The first thing I noticed when I traveled to another planet for the first time was how the constellations changed,” he said. His voice was raspy from overuse but still as solid as ever. “Same stars, but a completely new perspective.”

The Korun boy scoffed. “I think I can handle it.”

Now, though he was still confident he could handle himself in this brave new world, he understood Mace’s point. In the temple at least, there were plenty of plants. But, unlike in the Jungles of his home planet, they were tamed and cared for by sentient hands. The people in the ecumenopolis were just as packed in the streets and ignored the scrappy boy just as easily, but parted for the Jedi Master he followed to the temple entrance. And the temple, that was really a new perspective.

Like the jungle, it let the Force flow through it freely. It wasn’t neutral, though. It was the Light, like a sunny meadow or a story around a campfire. It was new and different.

Nick loved it.

He was still determined to fight though- but maybe a break touring the temple and the rest of the surrounding city was well deserved after ending the fighting in the Al’Har system. Then he could go back to being Master Windu’s right hand: Major Rostu, as he’d recently been deemed by him. They would fight side-by-side flanked by those amazing clone soldiers the Republic had, Mace with his amethyst lightsaber, and Nick with his slugthrowers. He would love to use Depa’s ‘saber again, but it was rightfully hers even in a deep coma. Maybe Mace had a spare here, or could at least teach him a few Jedi tricks-

As though reading his mind (knowing the guy he probably was), Mace cleared his throat. “I will make it explicitly clear so you don’t get any ideas, Nick. You are not here to train to be a Jedi. You are a member of the Grand Army of the Republic only.”

“Psh, I don’t want to be a Jedi. I’m here to beef up my resume for ‘Galaxy’s best bounty hunter’,” Nick waved his hands through the air like he could already see the sign. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t teach me a few tricks, right?”

“I suppose not. But you’re not getting a lightsaber,” Mace wagged a finger at the boy. Nick frowned but quickly came up with more questions to pester the Jedi with.

“Why are we here anyway, if I’m not allowed to be a Jedi?”

“We hold briefings and run communications in our war rooms here,” he explained. “You and I are going to get acquainted with my Commander.”

Nick pinched his eyebrows together. “I thought he… died. Kar killed him, or did he survive?”

“No, CRC-09/571 is dead. I’ve been given a replacement,” the Jedi said nonchalantly. He checked something on a datapad he was holding. “CT-411. He must have been promoted.”

Walking into the strategy room, the two watched a clone in freshly painted armor turn to salute Master Windu. “Sir.”

“At ease,” Mace said listlessly. “This is Major Rostu, he’ll be working alongside me for the time being.” Nick preened at his introduction but still couldn’t hide his excitement at meeting the clone. It was the first one he’d ever really spoken to and would be working with a lot- he wanted to make a good impression.

“Sup,” he landed on. The emotionless helmet had no reaction to his signature smile other than a polite nod. Mace quickly moved the conversation to the topic of battle strategy and Nick listened intently to the semantics of this new war he had joined.

~Weeks Later~

“I hate to admit it, Master Windu, but... Depa was a little bit right.”

“Oh? About what?” The Jedi asked. He did not bother to look at Nick but he could feel him sending the equivalent of a glare through their Force bond.

The Korun boy shrugged. “The Jedi needing to change how they fight. You’re not gonna win like this.”

Now Master Windu turned his full attention on him. “I, nor any Jedi, would ever fight like the guerillas did on Haruun Kal. It is against every-”

“No, not that. You’ve told me about that enough times. I meant about your soldiers,” he explained. “We fought better as a unified team in the Jungle.”

“Do I have to remind you we don’t have the luxury of having a Force-sensitive army? There is no way to connect with these men like Kar with his warriors or Chalk with her akk dog.”

“You could be doing a bit more,” Nick mumbled. Master Windu raised an eyebrow. Nick waved around the room at the clones going about their business. “You don’t even call them by their names! The Separatists have the advantage of having all their droids connected like a big computer with orders they know immediately. You don’t connect with your troops at all! It’s like you actively try and avoid them-”

“Names?” Mace asked. Nick blinked.

“Yeah, you call ‘em by their C-T-C-whatever numbers.”

The Jedi master paused. This was genuinely new information to him. “I was not informed they… had names. Are you sure, Nick?”

“Yeah. I was in the mess hall with a few of them- they invited me. I’ll tell you, it’s a lot better than eating in those stuffy quarters like you always do,” he chuckled but Master Windu’s bored expression got him back on track. “Anyways, I asked for their names, and they gave me them. One of ‘em, he had this wizard haircut with lightning tracks cut in his hair, was named Spark. I think he worked in mechanics…”

~

Nick had gone on about Mace’s men for a while until the master was able to excuse himself for a mission briefing. The new information lingered in his mind. He knew, of course, that the clones were individuals despite their visual similarities. He never tried to think too much about that individuality. The problem of their likeness to a certain bounty hunter always got in Mace’s way. Jango Fett, the man he had killed that fateful day when the Clone Wars began. The Mandalorian’s blood flowed through every one of the soldiers under his command and despite his connection to the Force he was never sure if they held malice for his actions. Would they even know what he did, or care? Master Kenobi’s report on what was going on at the facilities on the planet Kamino never mentioned Fett’s relationship with his clones.

It was notable that not a single clone had ever told him they possessed names, however they earned or chose them. Maybe it was a newer development, like the painting of their armor to represent more than just rank. The only other logical theory was that they simply didn’t trust him.

Soldiers should be able to trust their general. This was a failing on Mace’s part and without Nick’s help he never would have seen it. Seen how whatever weighed him down about killing Jango Fett was hurting his ability to lead in a war that demanded greater than perfection to win.

All this went through his mind while he should have been focusing more on the briefing. He could multitask of course, but Mace chastised himself for not putting all his attention on the upcoming battle. It was coming to a close now, though, and the troops began to file out at his command. The new commander was organizing some datapads and clearing the holotable. He saluted to Mace before turning to follow the others out. Mace stopped him gently. “Wait, Commander 4- Commander.”

The clone turned and with the naval uniform instead of armor, the shaved head, and even the slightly different way he held himself helped Mace to separate him from the original Fett in his mind. “Yes, General?”

“Is there a name you would prefer to be called?” he asked simply.

The clone still stood ramrod straight at attention and his face barely moved, but Mace could feel his surprise in the Force. He paused on a moment longer than usual before answering in a lighter voice than normal.

“Ponds.”

Mace didn’t know what to expect for the name, but _Ponds_ was certainly interesting. He idly wondered how the commander chose it, or if maybe someone else chose for him, for some equally interesting reason. It would be rude to pry though, so he simply nodded. “Alright, Commander Ponds it is, then.”

~

In the following weeks and months the 91st changed in front of Mace’s eyes. Now he could put names to faces- or helmets, rather. Most of the change was thanks to Nick. Bringing him back from their homeworld might have been the best decision Mace had made for this war so far.

At first the boy was still slightly hesitant to completely trust the clones, his first impression of them making him wary. But, he had been quick to warm up after sharing meals with them every day on the _Endurance_. He liked their quick wit and gallows humor.

The clones liked the young soldier as well, in awe of his skills with the dual slugthrowers he wielded. After showing off an admittedly impressive trick where he force-pulled them into his hands from their holsters and landed two bullseyes at the firing range there was no doubt he was a company-wide favorite.

Nick never looked happier than when he was fighting alongside his mentor and the soldiers he called his friends and brothers. Especially when they were on a jungle planet. Not that the boy seemed to miss his home, he was just more confident in his abilities in the familiar environment.

Mace was not nearly as friendly with all the soldiers as Nick- that would have been unprofessional. But, he could admit he had formed a friendship with Commander Ponds. In the beginning, even after learning the man’s name, he was still fairly detached but that changed. Where others had to ask questions to get to Mace’s line of thinking through a plan (only he could see the shatterpoints that he based his plans on), his commander always caught on fast, only asking questions to clarify his role in an attack. He was just as dedicated to the Republic as Mace. He admired Ponds.

When he died at the hands of Aurra Sing- nearly Jango Fett’s clone-son, Mace’s hesitancy returned. He accepted Commander Ponds’ death as he did those of every other clone, but the ones that were still alive now reminded him of someone else. Boba.

Once again, Nick was the one to give him some insight.

They were meditating in Mace’s quarters. The boy may not be a Jedi, but Mace found it helped him calm after an intense battle. Mace preferred it over finding him surrounded by broken punching bags and bruised fists in the training room, too.

“They’re getting younger,” Nick started.

Mace didn’t appreciate the interruption of his mediation, but humored him. “Who?”

“The clones. The shinies look younger than me now.” He had picked up on a lot of their slang, even knew a few Mando’a phrases. No doubt the 91st had learned at least a dozen Korunnai swears as well.

“More soldiers are needed faster than Kamino can produce them. It is unfortunate, but they are more than capable.”

Nick became quiet again. The Jedi could sense him preparing his thoughts again. He was trying to say something, finding just the right angle to start the conversation from.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you. On the _Enduranc_ e. I should have been there.”

Mace opened his eyes. “You had your own mission with the commandos. One you did quite well on, too.”

“I read the report,” Nick continued. “And it seemed like he was just being bossed around by the other bounty hunters.”

“ _You_ read a report?”

Nick let out a huff of annoyance. “Yes, I did.”

Mace waited for him to make his point. Saying anything himself now wouldn’t help, Nick just wanted him to listen.

“If I hadn’t had the willpower to defy the _lor pelek_ would you have treated me like a criminal? Or just killed me like you did with the rest of Vastor’s men?” He asked finally.

The bluntness of the question hit Mace hard. “Nick the circumstances are different-”

“Are they really? He’s only a few years younger than me and you threw him in prison. It’s insane that the Republic would even try him as an adult.”

“Jedi do not create the laws or prosecute them. We are simply peacekeepers- I will admit our prerogatives have changed in this war, but what happened to Boba Fett was not up to me.”

“You could have done _something_ ,” Nick argued helplessly. He looked desperately at Mace with his bright blue eyes. “Boba just got swept into this war. I never really had a choice when it came to the Summertime Wars until you gave me a way out.”

Mace listened, and nodded. “I understand. But _you_ must understand there is nothing we can do for Boba now. His future is up to him now.”

“At least you're doing what you can for his _vode_ ,” Nick sniffed. He shifted to pull a datapad out from behind him, and handed it to Mace. “I think I’ve learned everything I can from you and the Jedi. It’s time I move on.” A notice of resignation illuminated the screen.

It’s not like this was ever permanent. They both knew that.

Nick Rostu stood up and bowed deeply. “May the Force be with you, Master Windu.”

Mace stood, too. “And with you, always, Nick. I wish you luck.”

No matter how deeply Mace looked, there were no more shatterpoints connecting him and the boy. They would never see each other again- for what reason, he could not foresee. He hoped the young man who had only ever known war would live to see the end of this one.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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